Dr. Behmer heads the Insect Physiology & Behavior Research Group (IPBRG), which studies insect physiology and behavior, including their ecological and evolutionary bases with an emphasis on using individual behavior as a tool to understand physiological and higher-level processes. The group uses a number of different insects in their research, including grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, Drosophila, and insects with sucking mouthparts (hemipterans).